If this is your first visit, be sure to
check out the FAQ by clicking the
link above. You may have to register
before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages,
select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below.

Don't be surprised if it's not a wall

It looks like the Trumpster is going to give up on his wall and declare victory.

Don't be surprised if it's not a wall

The border wall is one of President Trump's best known campaign promises, and it's the reason we're in a partial government shutdown — but the Associated Press has a good roundup of comments by White House officials and allies that suggest it might end up being less than a complete physical wall between the U.S. and Mexico.

Between the lines: It's not surprising that Trump allies would float ideas to negotiate Trump's promise down to something he just calls a wall. But given how important Trump's promise is to his supporters, nothing will be resolved until Trump himself signs off on something less.

The key comments, per AP:

White House chief of staff John Kelly, to the Los Angeles Times: Trump gave up on “a solid concrete wall early on in the administration.”

White House counselor Kellyanne Conway, on Fox News Sunday: “There may be a wall in some places, there may be steel slats, there may be technological enhancements.”

Sen. Lindsey Graham, to reporters after having lunch with Trump on Sunday: “The wall has become a metaphor for border security.” He said it could just be “a physical barrier along the border.”

The mystery, of course, is why the Trump administration has spent so little of the money already appropriated for border security. If this were truly about border security, even this incompetent and ineffectual administration would be putting it to some use. It is not about border security. It's about something else. It reminds me of the abortion issue. The Republicans had control of the whole shooting match for two years, and did you hear even a whisper of them trying to act on their biggest campaign issue? Of course they didn't. That would kill the goose that lays the golden eggs. They can campaign on that issue forever if they can keep it an issue.

As to unspent money, I believe Trump tweeted that he just signed off on a deal for 1.5 bil. for a stretch of wall.

"The Republicans" is not synonymous to "Trump". The Rs are weak starting with the leadership they had in McConnell and Ryan (especially Ryan). They should have jammed the wall through on 51 votes a long time ago and they would have held the House in the midterms. It's what the people voted for. I don't care if the wall is made of concrete or steel - as long as there is a high physical barrier that covers the mileage not protected by natural barriers. It is a sign of TDS that you yokels think that Trump has somehow changed his tune if the wall becomes steel slats.

For those of you on the left who claim you actually want border security (you don't) what is it that you want done to make the border "secure" that will work?

It looks like the Trumpster is going to give up on his wall and declare victory.

Don't be surprised if it's not a wall

The border wall is one of President Trump's best known campaign promises, and it's the reason we're in a partial government shutdown — but the Associated Press has a good roundup of comments by White House officials and allies that suggest it might end up being less than a complete physical wall between the U.S. and Mexico.

Between the lines: It's not surprising that Trump allies would float ideas to negotiate Trump's promise down to something he just calls a wall. But given how important Trump's promise is to his supporters, nothing will be resolved until Trump himself signs off on something less.

The key comments, per AP:

White House chief of staff John Kelly, to the Los Angeles Times: Trump gave up on “a solid concrete wall early on in the administration.”

White House counselor Kellyanne Conway, on Fox News Sunday: “There may be a wall in some places, there may be steel slats, there may be technological enhancements.”

Sen. Lindsey Graham, to reporters after having lunch with Trump on Sunday: “The wall has become a metaphor for border security.” He said it could just be “a physical barrier along the border.”

You are too simple to get it. In some places it will be a concrete wall and other places it will be slats, depending on which makes America safer. Funny how the Obamas have a 10 foot wall around their home and no one cares!!!! They should have their wall. Walls are so good. We are going to get the biggest wall to make us the safest!!!

As to unspent money, I believe Trump tweeted that he just signed off on a deal for 1.5 bil. for a stretch of wall.

"The Republicans" is not synonymous to "Trump". The Rs are weak starting with the leadership they had in McConnell and Ryan (especially Ryan). They should have jammed the wall through on 51 votes a long time ago and they would have held the House in the midterms. It's what the people voted for. I don't care if the wall is made of concrete or steel - as long as there is a high physical barrier that covers the mileage not protected by natural barriers. It is a sign of TDS that you yokels think that Trump has somehow changed his tune if the wall becomes steel slats.

For those of you on the left who claim you actually want border security (you don't) what is it that you want done to make the border "secure" that will work?

Actually Trump tweeted that "he awarded" the funds for a new section of wall. It was, of course, a lie. He does not get to "award" anything like a dictator, no matter how much he'd love that, and the $ was for repairs to existing wall, not new wall. But you don't care when he lies.

Actually Trump tweeted that "he awarded" the funds for a new section of wall. It was, of course, a lie. He does not get to "award" anything like a dictator, no matter how much he'd love that, and the $ was for repairs to existing wall, not new wall. But you don't care when he lies.

As to unspent money, I believe Trump tweeted that he just signed off on a deal for 1.5 bil. for a stretch of wall.

"The Republicans" is not synonymous to "Trump". The Rs are weak starting with the leadership they had in McConnell and Ryan (especially Ryan). They should have jammed the wall through on 51 votes a long time ago and they would have held the House in the midterms. It's what the people voted for. I don't care if the wall is made of concrete or steel - as long as there is a high physical barrier that covers the mileage not protected by natural barriers. It is a sign of TDS that you yokels think that Trump has somehow changed his tune if the wall becomes steel slats.

For those of you on the left who claim you actually want border security (you don't) what is it that you want done to make the border "secure" that will work?

You can't actually believe this. You think Republicans lost dozens of suburban seats because voters WANTED the Wall?

In contrast, the Winning the Issues post-election survey found that among those voters who heard an immigration message from GOP congressional candidates, the top issue heard, 35 percent were more favorable as a result, while 59 percent were less favorable.

Despite what the comments section at the Daily Caller may suggest, there are not enough anti-immigrant voters to win close elections. According to exit polls, 22 percent of voters listed immigration as the most important issue facing the nation. Nearly twice as many voters listed health care as the top issue, while nearly three times as many listed health care or the economy. According to a national poll this fall, voters say immigration helps the country rather than hurts it by a margin of two to one.

Even as a rallying issue for the core Republican base, it is unlikely that immigration is best. Among the top issue immigration voters, 75 percent were Republicans. Yet an internal Republican National Committee memo found that a mere 12 percent of respondents said illegal immigration was the most important problem facing the country. While the anti-immigrant rhetoric toward the end of the campaign may have driven up Republican turnout in rural areas on election night, these parts of the country are shrinking in favor of growing suburbs. The memo thus recommended mobilizing establishment Republican and independent voters.

As to unspent money, I believe Trump tweeted that he just signed off on a deal for 1.5 bil. for a stretch of wall.

"The Republicans" is not synonymous to "Trump". The Rs are weak starting with the leadership they had in McConnell and Ryan (especially Ryan). They should have jammed the wall through on 51 votes a long time ago and they would have held the House in the midterms. It's what the people voted for. I don't care if the wall is made of concrete or steel - as long as there is a high physical barrier that covers the mileage not protected by natural barriers. It is a sign of TDS that you yokels think that Trump has somehow changed his tune if the wall becomes steel slats.

For those of you on the left who claim you actually want border security (you don't) what is it that you want done to make the border "secure" that will work?

Bga, Trump wouldn’t have gotten the tax reduction plan and nearly the deregulation without McConnell and Ryan, and the only reason that the Federal District court has put the constitutionality of Obamacare in play is b/c the Congress eliminated the mandate. McConnell is solely responsible for allowing Trump to name Gorsuch to the SC. I know it’s not popular here to praise McConnell or Ryan, but you can’t bet that Trump is more effective for having them and their tempered leadership.

The truth is the only things that Trump hasn’t been able to get through are things that aren’t as popular or aren’t as big a priority for the voters, like the Wall. I personally favor the Wall as part of a comprehensive border security plan, but it’s up to Trump to persuade the public that it’s needed.

Lastly and most importantly, “jamming the wall through on 51 votes” by eliminating the filibuster would be a disaster. Democrats will eventually have control of the Senate, House, and Executive Office, and then you’d be sorry that it doesn’t take 60 votes to pass the Senate.

The 60 vote requirement is a rule that, like the structure of the Electoral College, prevents the majority from having tyranny over the minority. Or Lefties might say, the minority over the majority. Abandoning this priniciple would be bad for the governing of our country. If you can’t negotiate a solution, the best answer may be to do nothing rather than using or abusing power to jam an unpopular solution through. If and when it does become popular by a majority of voters, it will pass the Senate along bi-partisan lines.

Didn’t read the articles, but I completely agree with your comment. Being from a metropolitan suburb, I don’t believe that my district or others would have remained Republican if the Congress had pushed all of Trump’s agenda as the Trumper narrative has gone. I don’t even believe Trump believes that.

Bga, Trump wouldn’t have gotten the tax reduction plan and nearly the deregulation without McConnell and Ryan, and the only reason that the Federal District court has put the constitutionality of Obamacare in play is b/c the Congress eliminated the mandate. McConnell is solely responsible for allowing Trump to name Gorsuch to the SC. I know it’s not popular here to praise McConnell or Ryan, but you can’t bet that Trump is more effective for having them and their tempered leadership.

The truth is the only things that Trump hasn’t been able to get through are things that aren’t as popular or aren’t as big a priority for the voters, like the Wall. I personally favor the Wall as part of a comprehensive border security plan, but it’s up to Trump to persuade the public that it’s needed.

Lastly and most importantly, “jamming the wall through on 51 votes” by eliminating the filibuster would be a disaster. Democrats will eventually have control of the Senate, House, and Executive Office, and then you’d be sorry that it doesn’t take 60 votes to pass the Senate.

The 60 vote requirement is a rule that, like the structure of the Electoral College, prevents the majority from having tyranny over the minority. Or Lefties might say, the minority over the majority. Abandoning this priniciple would be bad for the governing of our country. If you can’t negotiate a solution, the best answer may be to do nothing rather than using or abusing power to jam an unpopular solution through. If and when it does become popular by a majority of voters, it will pass the Senate along bi-partisan lines.

McConnell deserves great credit on the judges and not much else. Ryan is a guy who I was a big fan of early in his career and who has been a huge disappointment in recent years. He and McConnell both have been more interested in what the media will say and about damage to the Republican brand than in getting things done for the country. They failed to be leaders, they acted like scared followers. These two have not only failed to legislate but they also failed to support Trump through the attempted soft coup, one of the most criminal events in the history of American politics.

As to the Democrats, if they get control of all three branches they will go nuclear (51 votes) guaranteed. The Rs played by R rules. The Dems won't.

McConnell deserves great credit on the judges and not much else. Ryan is a guy who I was a big fan of early in his career and who has been a huge disappointment in recent years. He and McConnell both have been more interested in what the media will say and about damage to the Republican brand than in getting things done for the country. They failed to be leaders, they acted like scared followers. These two have not only failed to legislate but they also failed to support Trump through the attempted soft coup,one of the most criminal events in the history of American politics.

As to the Democrats, if they get control of all three branches they will go nuclear (51 votes) guaranteed. The Rs played by R rules. The Dems won't.

They failed to be leaders, they acted like scared followers. These two have not only failed to legislate but they also failed to support Trump through the attempted soft coup, one of the most criminal events in the history of American politics.

As to the Democrats, if they get control of all three branches they will go nuclear (51 votes) guaranteed. The Rs played by R rules. The Dems won't.